'Skyfall' Has Biggest U.K. Opening Ever for A James Bond Movie

The Sam Mendes-directed Daniel Craig film raked in $32.4 million in Britain during its opening weekend.

LONDON – The latest installment of the James Bond franchise, Skyfall, starring Daniel Craig as 007, drew the biggest U.K. opening weekend box office figures of all time for the franchise and the second-biggest opening the country has ever seen, official data confirmed Monday.

Eon Productions, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios and Sony Pictures Entertainment said Skyfall made history this weekend with a haul of £20.1 million ($32.4 million) at the U.K. box office. The 23rd James Bond adventure opened in 587 cinemas across the U.K. and Ireland on Friday and is set for release in the U.S. on Nov. 9.

The opening is just shy of the £23.77 million ($38.3 million) taken by Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, a film which brought to a close another beloved British franchise.

Producers Michael G. Wilsonand Barbara Broccoli said they were "overwhelmed with the reaction to Skyfall this weekend" in the U.K. "It is particularly thrilling as the U.K. is home to James Bond and it being the 50th anniversary year," the duo said.

"This staggering box office result clearly demonstrates that the filmmakers behind Skyfall, director Sam Mendes and producers Michael Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, have delivered a film that the fans have been eagerly awaiting,” said Gary Barber, chairman and CEO of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.

Sony Pictures Worldwide Marketing and Distribution chairman Jeff Blake said "Sony Pictures is proud of its part in bringing this great film to audiences around the world and to have Skyfall embraced at such unprecedented levels is tremendously exciting."

Craig stars as Ian Fleming’s 007 in the 23rd edition of what is the longest-running film franchise of all time.

Written by Neal Purvis, Robert Wade and John Logan, the film also stars Javier Bardem, Ralph Fiennes, Judi Dench, Ben Whishaw, Berenice Marlohe andNaomi Harris.